James Michael "Mike" Slade

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Great Plains Western Church in Washburn with the Rev. Ed Modrick and the Rev. Royce Mason officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are by Cox Funeral Home, 4180 Canyon Drive.

Mike was born Oct. 27, 1939, in Amarillo to E.C. and Bess Slade. He lived in Amarillo his entire life, graduating from Palo Duro High School in 1958 before attending Amarillo College. Mike was employed with Sears from 1959 to 1993, Amarillo Fire Department from 1963 to 1982, and Northwest Texas Hospital from 1994 to 2012. He married Freda Davis on Sept. 28, 1991, in Hart.

Mike was a lobbyist for Firefighters of America, trustee for Great Plains Western Church for four years, in the Army Reserves for six years, a Scout leader and a coach for Kids, Inc. His favorite pastime was playing golf.

Mike never met a stranger. He loved life and had many friends. He would know one’s life in 10 minutes of a visit. If you were lucky enough to be with him when he ran across a friend, you could count on being there for 30 minutes to an hour. He was a friend you could count on and be comfortable with. He loved his family, his church, his friends and his savior, Jesus Christ.

He always treated others the way he wanted to be treated. Family members as well as friends looked forward to sitting down with him and listening to the stories about the days and nights while working as a fireman and the strange things that would happen on his service calls while working for the Sears Company. Everyone loved Mike, and he will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Freda Irons Slade of Washburn; two sons, Terry and Robert Slade of Amarillo; a daughter, Sheri Slade of Orlando, Fla.; four stepsons, Kelly Irons of Amarillo, Kevin Irons of Forney, James Irons of Canyon and Jason Irons of Oklahoma City; 13 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials be to Great Plains Western Church Building Fund, 520 Highway 287, Claude, TX 79019; or Hospice Care of the Southwest, 6600 Kilgore Drive, Suite 110, Amarillo, TX 79106.